Smash Bros. Ultimate Controller Throwdown

I’m getting serious into Smash Ultimate, so it was time to get serious about choosing the right controller. So I read a lot of reviews, watched a lot of videos, and then dug out my old GameCube controllers. And then ordered a GameCube controller adapter and some new Switch Controllers.

To find the best controller these things were the most important to me:

  • Latency between button press and action
  • Accuracy of button input (both if the controller was sending the right signals and how easy it was for me to put the right ones in.)
  • How well the button configurations mapped to Smash controls.

After everything arrived, I was able to narrow my testing down to four main controllers.

HORI Nintendo Switch HORIPAD

Nintendo Switch Pro Controller

Nintendo GameCube Controller (Official, Original)

PDP Nintendo Switch GameCube Style Wired Fight Pad Pro

There are a number of others that I elected not to test/buy.

HORI Nintendo Switch Battle Pad (Mario) GameCube Style Controller

In nearly every review comparing GameCube style controllers for the Switch this came out on the bottom.

Nintendo GameCube Controller Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Edition

This is currently selling for twice its retail price, I can’t  justify that for a controller.

PowerA Wired Controller for Nintendo Switch – GameCube Style

This was the winner in a lot of reviews or videos I watched for best Smash controller, however its dimensions are smaller than the original GameCube controller. Too small for my hands.

PowerA Enhanced Wireless Controller for Nintendo Switch

This is a nice controller that have as a sort of a secondary Switch Pro Style controller. But for Smash the buttons are too small and shallow.

HORI Nintendo Switch HORIPAD

Pros

  • Large size, comfortable in my hand
  • Very responsive, no lag on input
  • Large Control Sticks with dips instead of grooves
  • Trigger buttons are responsive

Cons

  • Not a GameCube style layout.
  • The control stick and C stick are very loose making it hard to always be accurate
  • The accuracy of the button input feels below the other controllers tested.

This was actually the first controller I played Ultimate with. I originally bought it as just a cheap extra controller but I ended up gravitating to it when I was first getting into the game. As a Ness main the looseness of the left stick is great for PK Lighting but the overall low accuracy of the controller ruins it.

Nintendo Switch Pro Controller

Pros

  • Overall feels like the highest quality controller
  • Very little lag when wireless and can change to USB mode to reduce it further
  • Best Control Sticks in terms of feel, accuracy, and tension
  • Trigger buttons are responsive

Cons

  • Not a GameCube style layout
  • Caused hand cramps after short amount of time.

A lot of people are moving to Pro Controller with Ultimate. It’s incredibly well-made and is tournament legal. My fingers very rarely slip and input a move other than what I intended. The two cons are really what prevent it from being the perfect Smash controller. Smash started on the N64 and the GameCube and the whole fighting system seems to be built around those weird button layouts. I might be able to overlook that if using it for Smash didn’t cause my hand to cramp up so fast. Which must be related to the button layout since I never had that issue on another game.

Nintendo GameCube Controller

Pros

  • The actual GameCube controller, so perfect button layout
  • Accurate input (for the most part)
  • Control sticks are worn in for perfect movement and PkThunders
  • Easiest controller to shield and roll with (in my experience)

Cons

  • Just a hare of lag compared to other controllers connected by USB
  • Only one grab button
  • Buttons “stick” sometimes because of the age and previous usage

I really thought this was going to be my controller. Perfect controller layout for Smash, been using it for years, and I can get pinpoint accuracy with the PK Thunder. The millisecond of lag I could probably live with, it’s the buttons getting stuck that I can’t. My inputs can’t be completely accurate.

PDP Nintendo Switch GameCube System Wired fight Pad Pro

Pros

  • Very responsive, no lag on input
  • GameCube style layout, only larger
  • Can replace the C-Stick nub with a second gray Control stick nub

Cons

  • Buttons and Sticks “stiff”
  • Shoulder buttons are also stiff making it harder to grab, shield, and roll than the other controllers.
  • Inputs feel a smidge less accurate than the Pro Controller

This is my current Smash controller. I was not expecting it to be the one I picked;  to be honest, I bought it as cheap GameCube-like controller to be used  when multiple people are over for Smash. But after I gave up on the Pro Controller it was down to this and the original GameCube controller. The downsides of the PDP don’t outweigh the issue with the original Gamecube controller sticking. I’m more confident in the accuracy of my inputs with this. The stiffness is a big problem and I’m having trouble getting the same accuracy on my PK thunder, but as this controller is getting more usage the sticks and buttons don’t feel as tight.

In the long run, my controller will likely be the Nintendo GameCube Controller Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Edition but I refuse to pay the price gouge at the moment.

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